Google CEO says YouTube anti-piracy tool is ready

Google Inc. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Eric Schmidt revealed on Tuesday that YouTube is ready to roll out a tool that will allow content providers to automatically report acts of piracy on the popular video-sharing site. Schmidt said that the tool, dubbed as "Claim Your Content", will squash accusations that the company tolerates piracy by allowing users to upload infringing material.

Of course, his comments were directed mainly at Viacom Inc., which last month filed a $1 billion lawsuit against YouTube accusing the site of copyright infringement. The two have been involved in a war of words ever since about which entity the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) provides more protection to in this case.

"As that product rolls out, the issue becomes moot," Schmidt said in response to questions from an interviewer's question about how the tool might affect the suit. "We are automating that process to claim that content."Microsoft Corp. recently stopped taking new users for its Soapbox video sharing site until it improves anti-piracy measures.

5 user comments

Wave bye bye to Youtube everyone! I would love to be there and watch their servers crash when this goes into effect!

I envision this picture...... a darkened room lit only by the glow of a monitor, a motion picture exec soaked in alcohol sweat frantically pounding their mouse button trying to get all "unauthorized" vidoes off of Usedtube! Ok ok I know about reality so don't mess with the fantasy! :)

I get the feeling nothing will really change, as a company would need to have a person scan up and down Youtube everyday to get rid of the stuff. Only to have it resurface in 5 mins.

The tool is just a way to get out of the lawsuits as you the company with the copyrighted stuff could just use the tool and get rid of it. But this is all just one way it could work out. If the tool just also locked reposting it, youtube in my mind would die.